BRIEFLY

The Air Force dropped the Jarvis rocket bid.

Boeing and Hughes Aircraft, the two contractors that are jointly proposing development of the Jarvis space launch system, said they are continuing to evaluate whether to produce the Jarvis as a private commercial venture. The team had offered the rocket to the Air Force in the medium launch vehicle program, but the Air Force space division dropped its consideration of the offer well in advance of its scheduled selection of a winning contractor early in 1986. The Jarvis would use existing space shuttle components for an unmanned launch system capable of taking up heavy payloads.